President pledges to take ‘every possible step’ to control kidney disease

President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday assured that the Government will take every possible step to control kidney disease which is the sorrowful story of Rajarata people in North Central Province.

Participating at the concluding ceremony of the National Kidney Disease Education Programs organised by the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Kidney Diseases, held at the Galle Face Hotel, the President thanked all the contributors who joined the Government in this effort and said that all should unify with the Government in the future too, to fulfil this national responsibility.

The President further said that the Government worked with a commitment during the past 10 months to conduct significant works for the benefit of the kidney patients and has also taken steps island-wide to conduct awareness programs on kidney disease and to provide more doctors and medical equipment.

He pointed out that the bottled water in the market is not a solution for the control of kidney disease in the country and added that the Government has already taken steps to install water purification machines in a systematic way.

The President emphasised that special attention should be paid for using agricultural chemicals when farming and he further said that everyone should fulfil their responsibilities to save our people from this tragedy and should conduct broad awareness programs.

President Sirisena declared open the newly built Water Purification and Recycling Facility in Medirigiriya, Thissapura via satellite. In parallel to this event the President also declared open the Kidney Disease Prevention Unit of the Medirigiriya Base Hospital.

The donations to the National Kidney Fund were officially handed over to the President. CleanCo Lanka Ltd. donated Rs. 5 million, Sri Lanka Telecom PLC donated Rs. 2 million, Department of Motor Traffic donated Rs. 1 million and Galle Face Hotel Chairman Sanjeev Gardiner donated Rs. 5.4 million for the fund.

Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Duminda Dissanayake, S.B. Dissanayake, Deputy Minister Mohammad Qasim, Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Kidney Diseases Project Director Asela Iddawela and others participated in the event.